...."The Wops" - GangsterBB.NET

Posted By: NYMafia

...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 02:58 PM

Through the years organized crime figures have provided us with thousands of colorful nicknames. Some were funny, some were scary, while some others were just weird.. Mob guys have been nicknamed for their appearance and looks, such as Big Nosed Frankie, Fat Tony or Skinny Sal, Jimmy the Gimp, Big Benny, Scarface Joe, Cockeyed Joey or Good-Looking Al, etc. Sometimes guys were named for their criminal occupation or legitimate vocation, such as Tommy the Hood, Tony the Baker, and so on….

All five guys listed below were nicknamed “The Wop” but which two of the five was NOT affiliated with boss Carlo Gambino’s Family?

Pick your two choices, but provide us with both their first and last names, as well as whichever Family you believe they were affiliated with. Was it…

A) Charlie the Wop
B) Frankie the Wop
C) Joe the Wop
D) Eddie the Wop
E) Louie the Wop

Posted By: Dwalin2011

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 03:22 PM

1) Charlie the Wop:

Charles Carrollo, boss of the Kansas city family

2) Joe the Wop:

Serafino Sinatra, aka "Joe the Wop" English, member of the Yonnie Licavoli group in Toledo (not sure though whether this group was a small independent family during Prohibition at the time, or whether it was already a crew of the Detroit family).

Posted By: NYMafia

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by Dwalin2011

1) Charlie the Wop:

Charles Carrollo, boss of the Kansas city family

2) Joe the Wop:

Serafino Sinatra, aka "Joe the Wop" English, member of the Yonnie Licavoli group in Toledo (not sure though whether this group was a small independent family during Prohibition at the time, or whether it was already a crew of the Detroit family).

Charlie the Wop is correct.

And although there are many guys with the name "Joe the Wop" in various cities (so I can't fault you on your choice, Dwalin,) that Joe the Wop is not the other guy on this list. Because there is a "Joe the Wop" with the Gambinos - his name is Joseph Gennaro.

So pick another name for the second man....But that was a very good try!. You got one out of two, so far.

Posted By: NYMafia

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 04:42 PM

Anybody else think they know who it is and wanna take a shot at this?

Posted By: Friend_of_Henry

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 08:10 PM

A little off topic but my understanding of WOP is that was what the Italian immigrants were called when they first came to the United States: "With Out Papers". Who better than you to ask if this was the correct meaning for WOP?

Posted By: Malavita

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 08:23 PM

Franckie the Wop is Franck Manzo, who was a made guy in the Lucchese Family.

Posted By: Hollander

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 08:37 PM

In dutch slang we called an Italian "spaghettivreter".

Posted By: NYMafia

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by Friend_of_Henry

A little off topic but my understanding of WOP is that was what the Italian immigrants were called when they first came to the United States: "With Out Papers". Who better than you to ask if this was the correct meaning for WOP?

Agreed FOH. That is my understanding of the term as well.

Posted By: NYMafia

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by Hollander

In dutch slang we called an Italian "spaghettivreter".

I imagine that term refers somewhat to the word spaghetti. Am I correct?

Posted By: NYMafia

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by Malavita

Franckie the Wop is Franck Manzo, who was a made guy in the Lucchese Family.

Manzo was also called "The Wop." But this particular "Frankie the Wop" is actually Gambino soldier Frank Gagliardi. But that's another good guess MV.

Take another shot, because you're on track

Posted By: Hollander

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by NYMafia

Originally Posted by Hollander

In dutch slang we called an Italian "spaghettivreter".

I imagine that term refers somewhat to the word spaghetti. Am I correct?

Yes spaghetti eater, like cheese head (kaaskop) for dutch people lol.

Posted By: Malavita

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Hollander

In dutch slang we called an Italian "spaghettivreter".

In French, we call Italians "Ritals" or "Macaroni".

Ritals is supposed to be the abbreviation of "Réfugiés Italiens" (Italian refugees) which was the official terms for the Italian immigrant who went to France to work.

Posted By: NYMafia

Re: ...."The Wops" - 02/29/24 10:36 PM

As you already know, many decades ago, when Italian/Sicilian immigrants first arrived in America, immigrant ethnicities who had arrived in the country earlier, the English/Irish/German among them, had many disparaging names for Italians, one of which was "spaghetti snappers."

So its not dissimilar from what you are saying they were referred to in other countries like Holland, France, etc.

Posted By: NYMafia

Re: ...."The Wops" - 03/01/24 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by NYMafia

Through the years organized crime figures have provided us with thousands of colorful nicknames. Some were funny, some were scary, while some others were just weird.. Mob guys have been nicknamed for their appearance and looks, such as Big Nosed Frankie, Fat Tony or Skinny Sal, Jimmy the Gimp, Big Benny, Scarface Joe, Cockeyed Joey or Good-Looking Al, etc. Sometimes guys were named for their criminal occupation or legitimate vocation, such as Tommy the Hood, Tony the Baker, and so on….

All five guys listed below were nicknamed “The Wop” but which two of the five was NOT affiliated with boss Carlo Gambino’s Family?

Pick your two choices, but provide us with both their first and last names, as well as whichever Family you believe they were affiliated with. Was it…

A) Charlie the Wop
B) Frankie the Wop
C) Joe the Wop
D) Eddie the Wop
E) Louie the Wop

The two correct answers to this question were...

Charles (Charlie the Wop) Carollo, of Kansas City, MO and Louis (Louie the Wop) Ricciardi, of Detroit, MI

Posted By: Toodoped

Re: ...."The Wops" - 03/01/24 10:24 AM

I will take this thread a little bit off topic but during the 1920s there was one alleged hitman from New York only known as "Tommy the Wop" who in turn did a lot of work in Chicago...so do you guys have any clue regarding the name? Possibly someone from the Masseria/Yale clan?

Posted By: British

Re: ...."The Wops" - 03/01/24 12:21 PM

In the UK it's generally 'eyetie'

Posted By: NYMafia

Re: ...."The Wops" - 03/01/24 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by Toodoped

I will take this thread a little bit off topic but during the 1920s there was one alleged hitman from New York only known as "Tommy the Wop" who in turn did a lot of work in Chicago...so do you guys have any clue regarding the name? Possibly someone from the Masseria/Yale clan?

I'm not familiar with this particular name.

Posted By: Toodoped

Re: ...."The Wops" - 03/02/24 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by NYMafia

Originally Posted by Toodoped

I will take this thread a little bit off topic but during the 1920s there was one alleged hitman from New York only known as "Tommy the Wop" who in turn did a lot of work in Chicago...so do you guys have any clue regarding the name? Possibly someone from the Masseria/Yale clan?

I'm not familiar with this particular name.

I just found out that his name was Tom "Tommy the Wop" Fusco who came from Buffalo NY. This is from 1920...

[Linked Image]

Posted By: NYMafia

Re: ...."The Wops" - 03/02/24 11:12 AM

Interesting stuff, TD.